Quantitative analysis of benzene, toluene, and m-xylene with the use of a UV–ion mobility spectrometer

An ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) equipped with a 10.6 eV low-pressure gas-discharge lamp usually used in photoionization detectors for gas chromatographic applications was developed for the continuous detection of benzene, toluene, and m-xylene. To improve the resolution of the IMS for single substances a customized IMS with a doubled drift tube length was built. The responses of both IMS (drift tube lengths of 6 and 12 cm) to the compounds selected were determined and compared. The advantages of the combination of multi-capillary columns with IMS are discussed with the aim of achieving further enhancements to the resolution of the instrument. This coupling leads to a significant increase in the scope of application of ion mobility spectrometry for environmental applications. The influence of intermolecular charge-transfer reactions on the peak can be reduced and more complex matrices considered. The presented three-dimensional correlation supports the interpretation of the spectra acquired from the mixtures. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Field Analyt Chem Technol 4: 157–169, 2000